This case study explains how Koodo Mobile, the Canadian telecoms company, delivered six successive years of growth following its launch in 2008. View Summary

This case study explains how Koodo Mobile, the Canadian telecoms company, delivered six successive years of growth following its launch in 2008.

When Koodo Mobile launched, there were three big national telcos which competed on technology and added features - Koodo differentiated itself with a fair and simple mobile service, with a distinctive visual style and personality.

Koodo Mobile targeted Generation Y (aged 21-30), who were overwhelmed by the existing providers and looking for good value and confidence that they were being treated fairly; Koodo found that this message resonated with a wider audience beyond the target group.

Its three core principles are: be straightforward, be fun, and be ballsy.

50% of Canadians were aware of the brand within two months of launch and the brand has seen double-digit growth in its subscriber base year over year.

2

Koodo Mobile: Koodo Community - Building brand love in an unexpected place.

This case study demonstrates how Koodo Mobile, the Canadian mobile telecoms company, implemented a peer-to-peer customer support community to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. View Summary

This case study demonstrates how Koodo Mobile, the Canadian mobile telecoms company, implemented a peer-to-peer customer support community to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.

Koodo identified customer service as a particular area of dissatisfaction among Canadians and recognised that as its customers distrust telcos, they were more likely to trust their peers.

Koodo Community was designed to function across platforms, be easily searchable, introduced aspects of gamification to encourage members to help each other and gave the most engaged members recognition and rewards.

Koodo Community now receives 99.96% of all inquiries and is five times faster in providing help than using the call centre; also Koodo Community's likelihood-to-recommend score increased by 8.7% and call deflections increased by 64.6%.

This case study explains how Optus, the mobile network, created shark detecting technology to demonstrate its network coverage. View Summary

This case study explains how Optus, the mobile network, created shark detecting technology to demonstrate its network coverage.

Optus was the number two network in Australia and wanted to promote its network coverage in a way that was relevant to people.

Optus decided to focus on the area of shark awareness, based on the fact that 85% of Australians live near the coast, there had recently been high numbers of fatal shark attacks and little progress made in shark defence technology.

It created Clever Buoy - a series of smart buoys that detected and mapped the location of sharks and alerted lifeguards.

By providing a useful solution to a real problem, Optus was able to highlight its network coverage and show it understands people.

This campaign promoted Boost Mobile, a prepaid brand that resells mobile services, in Australia by reframing the conversation around the category. View Summary

This campaign promoted Boost Mobile, a prepaid brand that resells mobile services, in Australia by reframing the conversation around the category.

Ads had previously focused on prepaid being able to provide bigger data allowances at inexpensive rates; the Boost campaign instead positioned the service as offering a 'liberation' from the traditional postpaid contract of the 'mindless masses'.

This case study describes how major Bangladeshi mobile telecommunications company Robi Axiata found a way to inspire national unity through the creation of the world's largest human flag, leading to an increase in sales. View Summary

This case study describes how major Bangladeshi mobile telecommunications company Robi Axiata found a way to inspire national unity through the creation of the world's largest human flag, leading to an increase in sales.

2013 was perhaps the most volatile period in Bangladesh's 41-year history: unresolved issues from the 1971 Independence war with Pakistan dominated the national consciousness and led to religious and political divisions.

Robi Axiata needed to build affinity with the 70% of Bangladeshis who didn't care about the brand, and struck upon the idea of inspiring unification.

On 16 December the world's largest human flag was formed - the occasion was the most-watched TV event in Bangladeshi history, every national and regional newspaper had the human flag on its front page and the official photo became the most viewed image in Bangladesh's internet history.

As a result, static SIM sales increased by 48%, 2 of 3 competitor SIM users said they would buy a Robi SIM in the near future, and an event that cost US$ 1m generated nearly US$ 6m in unpaid media coverage.

This case study describes how O2, the mobile phone network, helped turn video content into a powerful business tool in the UK by developing a customer service proposition fit for the digital age, thereby increasing long-term incremental value. View Summary

This case study describes how O2, the mobile phone network, helped turn video content into a powerful business tool in the UK by developing a customer service proposition fit for the digital age, thereby increasing long-term incremental value.

Average revenue per user (ARPU) had dropped as mobile networks became commoditised, whilst more complicated devices increased customer service demands.

O2 had already successfully introduced 'Gurus' in its stores, but needed to reach outside of stores to a larger audience, including more people who weren't already customers.

Internal, Google search and YouTube data revealed people's common questions about their devices, and videos and other content was created to meet these needs.

KPN - Hi's target, 17-20 year-olds, was increasingly dismissive of advertising and the telecoms industry has low approval ratings in the Netherlands.

The day when final exam results are announced is crucial for the target, so KPN- Hi created rapid, personalised, unique rap videos to congratulate students who passed within minutes of them posting their result on Twitter.

60 personalised raps generated over 64,000 views and a total campaign reach of 1.4m, and online sentiment in the target improved to 36% positive and only 2% negative.

This case study demonstrates how Deutsche Telekom, the telecommunications network, showcased its mobile internet offering in order to grow market share in Germany. View Summary

This case study demonstrates how Deutsche Telekom, the telecommunications network, showcased its mobile internet offering in order to grow market share in Germany.

Recognising that growth in telecommunications is driven by mobile internet, Deutsche Telekom decided to leverage the power of their brand promise 'Life is for sharing' for a campaign that aimed to boost their mobile internet business.

'Move On - the first Hollywood-like road movie for everyone to join in' generated user content that allowed people to experience mobile internet in new ways.

The campaign grew Deutsche Telekom's market share and won back market leadership, resulting in €3.8m in profit and a ROMI of 1.11.

This case study describes how O2, the mobile network, used online video content to improve customer service, reducing churn and driving incremental value in the UK.

Despite the challenges of measuring the effectiveness of content marketing, O2 Guru TV aimed to deliver both views and commercial value.

By integrating content into core customer journeys, producing and distributing smartly, and setting clear business objectives rather than vanity metrics, O2 was able to use online video content to drive down the cost to serve customers.

This case study explains how BT, the telecommunications company, used a new sports channel with football rights to reduce customer churn and drive acquisition of new customers in the UK. View Summary

This case study explains how BT, the telecommunications company, used a new sports channel with football rights to reduce customer churn and drive acquisition of new customers in the UK.

Facing aggressive competitors and challengers to their lead in broadband, BT decided to secure the rights to English Premier League football, launch a BT Sport channel and use communication to build credibility for the channel.

Offering BT Sport for free to BT broadband customers became a reason to join and stay with BT, reducing churn and driving acquisition.

In return for using BT Sport as a content marketing tool for the broader brand, BT's market capitalisation increased by £2.2bn, generating a ROMI of 2.48.

This event report tells the story of how T-Mobile, the telecoms brand, transformed its position in the US by becoming the "Uncarrier", and taking on the established category norms disliked by consumers. View Summary

This event report tells the story of how T-Mobile, the telecoms brand, transformed its position in the US by becoming the "Uncarrier", and taking on the established category norms disliked by consumers.

Having registered a record decline in subscriber numbers in 2012, the company realised a change in strategy was essential.

The telecoms industry left it considerable scope for change, given few of its members were perceived as putting customers first.

As such, T-Mobile began a process of transformative change, including scrapping contracts and roaming fees, providing free music streaming on mobile phones, and allowing customers to upgrade twice a year.

Focusing on the drivers of consumer choice, rather than their stated wants and needs, has assisted this process.

As a result, the firm has become the fastest-growing in the category in terms of actual news user numbers.

This case study describes how Vodafone Romania told the real-life story of Ghita, an ordinary Romanian shepherd, to improve its brand metrics. View Summary

This case study describes how Vodafone Romania told the real-life story of Ghita, an ordinary Romanian shepherd, to improve its brand metrics.

The challenge was to reclaim Vodafone's absolute brand leadership as the 'best network in Romania', by leveraging its superior network performance.

Ghita became the credible flagship for Vodafone's network performance by documenting his simple life on social media, through the network.

The story of Ghita's everyday life achieved wide media coverage and over half a million Facebook fans, and Ghita himself became a celebrity mentioned on national TV shows and was featured in a BBC programme.

These results helped Vodafone to prove that its brand promise of 'empowering Romanians to break their barriers, progress and live a better life through technology' is as real as it can get.

This case study describes how Virgin Mobile Australia created a mobile gaming battleground in which consumers competed for prizes, to increase footfall into Virgin stores and seize the advantage from competitors. View Summary

This case study describes how Virgin Mobile Australia created a mobile gaming battleground in which consumers competed for prizes, to increase footfall into Virgin stores and seize the advantage from competitors.

The Australian mobile market was becoming commoditised and Virgin needed a new way to engage consumers.

It created the 'Game of Phones', Australia's largest ever location-based real and alternate world app challenge, in which consumers were the warriors, mobile was their weapon and $200,000 virtual Virgin rewards their treasure.

Game of Phones smashed all targets, creating a 10.8% increase in footfall instore (more than doubling the 5% target), and a huge increase in brand health and engagement results for Virgin Mobile.

It "ambushed" the market by delivering Virgin Mobile Game of Phones, Australia's largest ever location-based mobile app challenge, where consumers fought like warriors in the real world and an alternate reality in a bid to win virtual prizes worth $200,000-plus.

Footfall was driven by turning Virgin Mobile stores into "safe houses", giving more than 14,500 warriors the chance to hold on to their treasure for an hour at a time while learning more about the Virgin Mobile kingdom.

The campaign delivered an increase in key brand metrics, generated more than 2.5 million screen views and drove more than 103 million online impressions throughout the duration of the game.

17

Singtel: Hawker heroes

Includes video content

Recommended by Warc editors

Trends

Best Practice

Andy Wilson , Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2014

This case study describes how SingTel, the telecoms company, tackled its waning brand consideration scores with a grassroots campaign that focused on the passion that ordinary Singaporeans had for traditional street food. View Summary

This case study describes how SingTel, the telecoms company, tackled its waning brand consideration scores with a grassroots campaign that focused on the passion that ordinary Singaporeans had for traditional street food.

Singaporean street food - sold by "hawker" stalls - was under threat from the forces of modernisation and globalisation that SingTel was driving.

So the company used its media, technology and global clout to create branded content that would showcase the pride all Singaporeans felt for hawker food.

The idea was 'Hawker Heroes', a programme whereby Singaporeans could vote for their favourite hawker stall owner via integrated digital and mobile experiences.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was then challenged to visit Singapore and see if he could cook these dishes better than the hawkers.

SingTel's brand metrics increased, including consideration by 48%; campaign awareness also increased, aided by almost one million YouTube views of video content.

This case study describes how Bangladeshi telecommunications company Robi Axiata promoted national unity as well as sales by creating a world-record human flag. View Summary

This case study describes how Bangladeshi telecommunications company Robi Axiata promoted national unity as well as sales by creating a world-record human flag.

The country's political situation was volatile, with religious and political divisions prominent.

Robi saw an opportunity to inspire national unity with the campaign theme 'when people unite, Bangladesh shines'.

Central to this was the world's largest human flag, formed of volunteers and broadcast live across many major TV networks and covered by a range of print media.

As a result, previously static SIM sales increased and two of three competitor-SIM users said they would buy a Robi SIM in the near future.

19

!DEA: Honey Bunny

Includes video content

Recommended by Warc editors

Trends

Best Practice

Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2014

This case study describes how Idea Cellular (commonly referred to as !DEA), the Indian telecoms company, launched a ringtone to explain that it is a national network, not just a regional provider. View Summary

This case study describes how Idea Cellular (commonly referred to as !DEA), the Indian telecoms company, launched a ringtone to explain that it is a national network, not just a regional provider.

The Indian telecoms market had been dominated by Airtel and Vodafone, with !DEA a small regional player - the company needed to establish it was actually a national network.

!DEA created a signature ringtone - 'Honey Bunny' - which was a unique piece of music that could be both identified with the brand and used to convey the message that the network was present across different zones of the country.

Within days, the ringtone was downloaded to millions of phones, with thousands of re-mixed versions appearing online, generating over 1.38 billion earned impressions and establishing !DEA as a national player.

This case study explains how TrueMove H, a telecoms company, promoted its 3G product in Thailand with an emotional campaign that focussed on the role of everyday communication in people's lives. View Summary

This case study explains how TrueMove H, a telecoms company, promoted its 3G product in Thailand with an emotional campaign that focussed on the role of everyday communication in people's lives.

The company faced two main challenges: circumstances were tense, with political turmoil dividing the country, and much of TrueMove's customer base was intimidated by technology.

In contrast to competitors who focussed on functional advertising, this campaign took an emotional look at the role communications play in people's lives, and the impact of the little things people do and say.

It was led by a branded short film with an emotional theme, which inspired conversations and became the 12th most shared ad globally on YouTube.

Most importantly, it drove a 40% quarterly increase in 3G subscribers and pushed the company into the number two spot in Thailand for the first time.

21

AIS: Happy New Year

Includes video content

Recommended by Warc editors

Trends

Best Practice

PMAA Dragons of Asia, Best in Thailand, 2014

This case study describes how Thailand's leading mobile network solution provider, Mobile Telecommunications Advanced Info Service (AIS), used viral video content to create awareness of its offer and position itself ahead of other brands in the same industry. View Summary

This case study describes how Thailand's leading mobile network solution provider, Mobile Telecommunications Advanced Info Service (AIS), used viral video content to create awareness of its offer and position itself ahead of other brands in the same industry.

AIS needed to promote a service that lacked physical presence and suffered from the misconception that it was being left behind the competition.

It initiated a viral video and social media campaign that it hoped would unite every Thai in the nation, seeking the furthest reach possible on a limited budget.

A total of 413 video clips and photos were shared by consumers during the one-week campaign period, achieving more than 100,000 views in the first week following launch, and achieving the goal of building both brand image and a positive perception of the brand.

22

More LINE, Much Closer

Includes video content

Recommended by Warc editors

Trends

Best Practice

Jenkantit Rujiramora , Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2014

This case study describes how LINE, a mobile messenger service, held a contest and co-creation strategy to emotionally engage with users in Thailand. View Summary

This case study describes how LINE, a mobile messenger service, held a contest and co-creation strategy to emotionally engage with users in Thailand.

LINE wanted to defend its number one share position in the increasingly competitive mobile messenger market and to increase loyalty among current users.

It held a contest asking customers to share stories about how the service had helped them communicate better.

The contest was announced through social media and 8,000 stories were submitted within three weeks.

Three stories were selected and made into different TV ads.

During the campaign, the number of app downloads increased 1.5 times higher than the average daily download and brand equity increased.

This case study for DiGi Telecommunications, a mobile phone service provider in Malaysia, describes how DiGi used young peoples' multiscreening behaviour in this branded content and social media campaign. View Summary

This case study for DiGi Telecommunications, a mobile phone service provider in Malaysia, describes how DiGi used young peoples' multiscreening behaviour in this branded content and social media campaign.

DiGi wanted to increase awareness, social engagement and data subscriptions, particularly among millennials.

It wanted to ignite engagement around its branded content TV minisodes, which was now in its second season, entitled #Buddyz.

This involved a three-pronged approach: pre-hype, awareness and engagement.

16-episode minisodes depicted five friends and their lives, with DiGi's services seamlessly integrated into each episode.

Online video, mobile and social media were used to encourage conversations and social interaction for a TV audience.

During the four month campaign #Buddyz attracted over 2.4 million youths on TV; awareness and brand equity increased, as did DiGi's pre-paid subscriptions and mobile internet revenues.

This case study describes how Vodafone, the mobile network provider, launched a new phone tariff in Europe to increase its revenue per user by talking about the emotional connection people have with their phone. View Summary

This case study describes how Vodafone, the mobile network provider, launched a new phone tariff in Europe to increase its revenue per user by talking about the emotional connection people have with their phone.

The new tariff was attractive to consumers as it provided unlimited texts and minutes for a fixed price, but unattractive because it cost more than people were currently spending on a phone - and Europe was in recession.

Vodafone focussed on the emotional attachment people have with their phone, re-imagining 'unlimited' as 'forever' in an ad featuring a couple kissing throughout the whole span of their lives together.

This approach successfully increased average revenue per customer, and maintained or increased value market share in different European markets.